TX HR905

Texas House of Representatives honors Ernest Servantes, pitmaster and co-owner of Burnt Bean Co. in Seguin, for his contributions to Texas barbecue

Servantes is a self-trained chef from Uvalde who began as a dishwasher and busser, later serving 15 years as executive chef with Sodexo at Texas Lutheran University

Won first barbecue cook-off in 2009 and gained national attention by winning Food Network's Chopped Grill Masters in 2012

Co-founded Burnt Bean Co. in 2020 with Dave Kirkland; restaurant received a Michelin Bib Gourmand Award in 2024 and was ranked among Texas's best barbecue by Texas Monthly and The New York Times

Servantes and Kirkland were named James Beard Award semifinalists in the Best Chef: Texas category